DC's Urban Turf blog wrote about the Brookland neighborhood, which borders the University. See below.
From: Urban Turf Date: Feb. 24, 2017Author: Zak Salih
For over fifty years, the tower-and-dome façade of the Basilica of the National Shrine of the Immaculate Conception, the largest Roman Catholic church in North America, has been the defining icon of DC's Brookland neighborhood.
While that remains the case, a new symbol is stealing the show: giant white letters painted on the eastern face of the Brookland Works building, stretching almost two floors high, that spell out the neighborhood's name for all to see.
Bold and larger-than-life, the BROOKLAND sign is representative of the many changes this neighborhood has undergone in recent years, fed by growing development prospects and a blend of artistic flair, Catholic history, academic life, and strong community bonds.
"It's clear the neighborhood is changing rapidly," said longtime resident Shani Hernandez-Jöhnk. A federal employee and local artist, Hernandez-Jöhnk also spearheads The Brookland Bridge, a local blog which keeps residents connected to community information, local events, and, of course, development news. She moved to the neighborhood in October 2009 with her wife, Astrid, at a time when Brookland's streets of bungalows, rowhomes, and detached single-family houses were more affordable than they are today. The couple purchased a 1,400-square-foot rowhome for $399,990.
"We fell in love with the small-town feel of 12th Street," she told UrbanTurf. ...